NICK OPENS 20TH GRAFENEGG FESTIVAL PERFORMING ORFF’S CARMINA BURANA WITH PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA AND CRISTIAN MĂCELARU

Nicholas Phan performs Orff’s Carmina Burana with Philharmonia Orchestra and Wiener Chormädchen

SALZBURGER NACHRICHTEN

“The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the trio of soloists in Orff's work: Nicholas Phan made the roasted swan lament pitifully, German Olvera brought great care and vitality to his baritone arias, and the German soprano Nikola Hillebrand provided breathtakingly beautiful moments, for example in the "Dulcissime" solo.”

DER STANDARD

“Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana was a tour de force—both the work itself and the interpretation. Mačelaru and the London-based ensemble tackled the first leg of this journey into the Middle Ages with taut, crisp precision. With his velvety-smooth baritone, Germán Olvera played the "Latin lover"—and not just in the Cour d’amour, the third section of the wandering-scholar songs. Nicholas Phan was suitably grotesque and garish as the Dying Swan. Nikola Hillebrand brought a luminous, gentle quality to the soprano role—a truly inspired piece of casting; Steven Spielberg ought to cast this German singer as a fairy godmother should the need arise. The audience responded with euphoria.”

Baritone German Overa, tenor Nicholas Phan, Landeshauptfrau Johanna Mikl-Leitner, pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, soprano Nikola Hillebrand, and conductor Cristian Macelaru.